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Engage 2 at EASN International Conference 2025

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

The Engage 2 project successfully showcased its efforts in shaping the future of the aviation workforce during the recent EASN International Conference. The project’s participation reinforced its commitment to bridging the gap between academic training and industry requirements through strategic initiatives and collaborative partner efforts.

A key highlight of Engage 2’s presence at the conference was the dedicated presentation of its innovative Job Cards and interactive videos. These resources, which are crucial for defining and communicating the skills needed in the modern aviation sector, were presented thanks to the invaluable support of the SESAR organisation. The Job Cards generated lots of interest, demonstrating a clear demand for structured educational and career development tools within the European aerospace research community.

The second Engage 2 Open day

Beyond the main conference activities, the project partner EASN played an important role in promoting young talent engagement. EASN organised the Second Open Day as part of the Students & Young Researchers Networking Event: Shaping the future workforce of the Aviation Sector. This dedicated networking event provided a dynamic platform for more than 130 participants, including students and young professionals, to connect with leading researchers and industry experts.

The fire-side chat event was orchestrated by Dimitri Mavris and Prajwal Shiva Prakasha, who commenced the event with an inspiring talk on “Navigating a Sky of Opportunities: The Career Journey in Aerospace Real experiences. Real challenges. Real inspiration.” The event, which took place at the glamorous Domo of the Universidad Politécnica De Madrid, and was followed by a networking session with several elite senior professionals in the aerospace sector, who initiated interactive discussions and mentorship opportunities on career options and opportunities. Marcello Kivel Mazuy, representing SESAR JU, specifically acted as a mentor for Engage 2 Open Day during this event, actively engaging with the participating audience, and guiding the young researchers on the pathways that can help in career enhancement within the ATM sector. 

The Open Day event is central to Engage 2’s dissemination strategy, directly fostering the next generation of aviation specialists. 

The success of the Open Day was warmly received by the attendees. Reflecting on the event’s importance, Marcello Kivel Mazuy – RTD and Innovation Manager at SESAR – stated: It was an honour and a burden for me! Guiding and mentoring the next generation of aeronautic experts was a great challenge because we will rely on their passion and work. This is what I told to all… be yourself, enjoy your work, and live with passion each single day! This is what will really change our lives! Your energy and engagement! I will always be your best fan! Enjoy the future, it’s yours!

The comprehensive participation in the EASN International Conference marked a significant milestone for the Engage 2 project, strengthening its outreach and underscoring the critical role it plays in advancing aviation skills and competence across Europe.

A week of learning and collaboration in Braunschweig

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

The second edition of the Engage 2 Summer School took place from 22 to 26 September 2025 in Braunschweig, Germany, hosted by Technische Universität Braunschweig. The event gathered 20 participants from across Europe, selected from 41 expressions of interest, to explore key research themes in ATM and foster collaboration among early-career researchers and professionals.

According to Thomas Feuerle, responsible for the organisation of the event: The Engage 2 Summer School 2025 in Braunschweig went very well from my perspective. We had more than 20 participants from all over Europe. The spirit was very open and we had many good discussions, not only after the presentations, but also within the different breaks or at the social event. The broad bandwidth of presentations clearly showed the complexity of the ATM system. I am very happy with the five intensive days, with the quality of the presentations, the engagement of the participants and the feedback I received so far.

The programme combined lectures from leading institutions – including TU Delft, the University of Trieste, the University of Westminster, TU Braunschweig, and EUROCONTROL – with presentations from PhD candidates, six of whom are directly involved in Engage 2. Discussions covered a wide range of topics, from modelling and simulation techniques to system-level challenges in ATM research.

Feedback collected from participants confirmed the high quality of the event’s content and organisation. The majority rated the overall experience, communication, and logistics between 4 and 5 out of 5, describing the Summer School as a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge and build networks across the ATM research community. Participants particularly appreciated the diversity of topics and the openness of discussions, noting that the format encouraged active interaction and peer learning. Many expressed interest in attending future editions, highlighting the Summer School as a key event for knowledge sharing and professional growth in the field of ATM research.

Suggestions for future improvement included dedicating more time to hands-on sessions and practical case studies, alongside the existing mix of lectures and PhD presentations. The Summer School once again demonstrated Engage 2’s commitment to supporting the next generation of researchers and strengthening the links between academia, industry, and institutional stakeholders in the SESAR research framework.

Engage 2 at the15th EASN International Conference with the second Open day on the 16th October

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

Engage 2 will partecipate in the forthcoming 15th EASN International Conference. This high-profile event is a gathering for experts, researchers, industry leaders, academics and policymakers from around the world, and this year is set to feature a significant ATM presence.

Thanks to the direct involvement of our partner, EASN, this conference will be the setting of the second Open Day, as part of the Students & Young Researchers Networking event, on “Shaping the future workforce of the Aviation Sector”.

The event will serve as a strategic opportunity to reach a wide audience of early-career professionals and students. The session, which will take place on October 16, will involve approximately 100 students, organised into small groups (5–10 participants each), engaging with 10–15 expert mentors from various sectors of the aerospace domain. These mentors, drawn from both academia and industry, will deliver brief, impactful talks and facilitate informal discussions to highlight diverse career paths, with a particular emphasis on ATM and Airport operations. The day will conclude with a relaxed networking event designed to promote further exchanges.

Furthermore, Engage 2 is proud to be one of the projects showcased at the SESAR booth. We will be sharing key materials and insights, such as our job cards, videos, and other valuable resources, demonstrating our impact on the aviation sector.

Girls in Aviation Day 2025 will inspire the next generation

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

The 11th Annual Girls in Aviation Day, an event hosted by Women in Aviation International (WAI), is set to take place on September 20, 2025. This annual initiative is designed to introduce girls to the many career opportunities available in the aviation and aerospace industries.

Since its inception in 2015, Girls in Aviation Day has grown significantly, fostering a global community of young women and their mentors. The event is a key part of WAI’s mission to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals and pilots.

In line with its commitment to fostering a more diverse and equitable industry, Engage 2 will be sharing news of this inspiring event. The project continues to place a strong emphasis on promoting equal opportunities and inclusiveness within the ATM and aviation research ecosystem. By highlighting events like Girls in Aviation Day, Engage 2 aims to support initiatives that encourage underrepresented groups to explore and pursue careers in aviation.

Some takeaways from the 2024 edition

The 10th annual Girls in Aviation Day, held on September 21, 2024, was a resounding success, setting new records for participation and global reach. Over 33,000 attendees participated in 194 events across 33 countries. The day’s events provided a wide range of engaging activities, from hands-on projects to career panels with female role models. This continued growth underscores the event’s crucial role in igniting excitement and curiosity in young participants as they explore the world of aviation and aerospace.

Engage 2 at Airspace World 2025: inspiring aviation careers

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

Engage 2 took an active role at Airspace World 2025, held in Lisbon by contributing to the second edition of Tomorrow’s Voices, an initiative led by CANSO in collaboration with Engage 2 and Firstfruits Services. The programme is designed to bring young professionals aged 20 to 30 closer to the world of Air Traffic Management (ATM), offering them direct exposure to the sector, opportunities for dialogue with industry representatives and insights into the future of airspace management.

Thematic workshop. The future workforce in the Era of new entrants

A central moment of Engage 2’s participation was the first thematic workshop titled The Future Workforce in the Era of New Entrants. The discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities related to the integration of new airspace users, such as drones and advanced air mobility solutions, into the ATM ecosystem. The workshop highlighted the growing need for new interdisciplinary roles, such as architects specialised in urban drone operations and urban planners familiar with U-space design. Participants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds engaged in open discussions, with younger attendees in particular pointing out a disconnect between academic training and practical industry needs. Many expressed the need for more hands-on learning and support in navigating the technical language commonly used in aviation.

Panel discussion: exploring career pathways in the evolving aerospace industry

The following day, on 15 May, Engage 2 contributed to the panel Exploring Career Pathways in the Evolving Aerospace Industry”, moderated by Micol Biscotto (Deep Blue, coordinator of the project). The panel brought together experts from leading organisations across the aviation and aerospace sectors – George Vergara (RTX), Snežana Tomčić (AviAll – Aviation for All), Nicola Ni Riada (IFATCA), Romulo Gallegos (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University), Sabina Zaharescu (CINEA) and Sue Meeks (Infina, Ltd) – who explored the skills required for the future, emerging roles and how to build a meaningful career in a rapidly evolving landscape. One key insight that emerged was the demographic shift currently underway: with a significant portion of the ATM workforce approaching retirement, the sector is at risk of losing valuable mentorship capacity. In this context, Engage 2’s mission to connect junior and senior professionals becomes even more vital, helping ensure that knowledge and experience continue to be passed on to the next generation.

Inspirational Tours: a guided journey through the aviation professions

Among the most engaging activities of the event were the Inspirational Tours, a new format developed by Engage 2 to guide young participants through thematic routes across selected exhibitor stands. Each tour focused on key professional profiles in aviation, including air traffic controllers, AI engineers, cybersecurity experts and U-space service providers. The tours offered an accessible and tangible introduction to both traditional and emerging roles within the sector, with particular attention to future-focused domains such as drone integration and advanced air mobility. Accompanied by a dedicated Career Passport, participants were invited to collect stamps at each stop and take part in short, structured conversations with industry experts. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, and plans are already in motion to refine and expand the format for upcoming editions.

Engage 2’s presence at Airspace World 2025 reaffirms its commitment to supporting the future of aviation by facilitating meaningful connections, inspiring curiosity and bridging the gap between today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders in airspace innovation.

Join the Inspirational Tour at Airspace World 2025 – and win!

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

Step into the future of aviation with Career Passport: Boarding Your Future – the interactive adventure designed for young professionals and students, developed by Engage 2 as part of the Tomorrow’s Voices programme at Airspace World 2025 (Lisbon, 13-15 May 2025).

🗓️ When?
The Inspirational Tours will take place on Thursday 15 May, between 12:00 and 13:00 at Airspace World.

🎟️ How to join?
Register now to secure your place: https://forms.gle/8R8AEVK16Ygq3s6E6

This isn’t just an exhibit, it’s a mission. With your Career Passport in hand, you’ll explore the industry’s most exciting roles, from air traffic controllers to AI engineers, drone operators, cybersecurity specialists, and more. Meet real aviation experts, hear their stories, and collect exclusive stamps at each stop along your journey.

Visit at least 5 stand per tour and collect stamps, and you’ll be in with a chance to win a €100 voucher to spend on online training courses, the perfect way to invest in your future!

How to play

  1. Get your Career passport;
  2. Start the tours – use the map of the venue to locate the each stop on your tours:
    • Tour 1: Shaping future skies and operational excellence
      Jobs: ATC, CNS Engineer, Cybersecurity specialist, Aviation safety inspector
      (Themes: Digitalisation, Front-Line Operations, and Safety)
      Description: Explore how cutting-edge ATM solutions are shaping a safer, more efficient, and digitally enabled airspace. This tour takes you to the heart of front-line aviation operations, where air traffic controllers manage complex and evolving skies with precision and adaptability. Discover the engineering minds behind the communication, navigation, and surveillance systems that power modern air traffic management and meet the digital innovators integrating artificial intelligence into aviation’s core infrastructure. Finally, step into the safety and security ecosystem: learn how cybersecurity specialists defend aviation’s digital backbone and how safety inspectors uphold the highest operational standards.
      Companies to visit
      • Amper – Digitalisation & Safety
      • CAE – Digitalisation & Operations
      • DFS – Digitalisation, Operations, Safety
      • NOAMAI – Digitalisation
      • Frequentis – Digitalisation
      • Nokia – Digitalisation
      • NATS – Digitalisation & Operations
      • Indra – Digitalisation
    • Tour 2: Innovating tomorrow’s skies
      Jobs: UAS Operator, AI Engineer, HMI designer, U-space service provider
      (Themes: Advanced Air Mobility, Drones, and Innovation Leadership)
      Description: Step into the frontier of aviation innovation. This tour explores how new technologies and human-centred design are transforming airspace as we know it. From uncrewed aircraft systems to advanced air mobility, discover how UAS operators manage drone traffic with precision and situational awareness. Meet AI engineers and digital visionaries developing intelligent, adaptive systems that will shape the future of connected skies. Explore how human-machine interface designers and human factors specialists ensure that innovation remains usable, intuitive, and safe — putting people at the centre of complex systems. Join us to see how tomorrow’s aviation is being imagined, built, and refined today.
      Companies to visit
      • Amper – Advanced Air Mobility
      • Unifly – Drone Integration
      • SkyGrid – Drones
      • DFS – Advanced Concepts
      • DroneTalks – Drone Advocacy
      • Indra – Drones & AAM
      • Nokia – Drones
      • NATS – Drones & AAM
  3. Engage with experts in a 10-minute conversation about different aviation professions, hear their insider stories and be inspired!

SESAR AI Flasghip workshop in Rome to advace ATM collaboration

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

The SESAR Joint Undertaking, supported by Engage 2, announces the upcoming AI Flagship workshop, set for 11 November 2024 at Spazio Europa in Rome, Italy. This workshop aims to bring together key stakeholders, researchers, and industry experts to collaborate on advancing Artificial Intelligence in Air Traffic Management.

Building on the discussions from the AI Initial Coordination Workshop held in September, this session will focus on deepening our collective understanding of AI and advancing the regulatory debate in collaboration with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Key objectives of the workshop include:

  • Promoting interaction among SESAR projects working in AI
  • Encouraging dialogue with EASA on AI implementation and regulation
  • Shaping the future of AI in ATM through collective contributions

This event presents a valuable opportunity for participants to engage with fellow experts and stakeholders, sharing insights and contributing to the future of AI in the aviation sector.

Engage 2 presents the matchmaking app concept at EASN 2024

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

At the 14th EASN International Conference held in Thessaloniki, Greece, Engage 2 showcased the early stages of its innovative matchmaking app designed to bridge the gap between students, academia and the ATM industry. Tommaso Vendruscolo, Senior UX/UI Designer & Human Factors Consultant at Deep Blue, presented the concept, methodology and development steps of the tool, which is set to become a student-centric application for navigating the aviation industry.

The app, developed by Engage 2, aims to foster connections between students, universities, and companies, enabling users to create profiles, discover mutual opportunities, and participate in events such as hackathons and open days. It also offers a variety of job cards and videos to help students explore career paths in the ATM sector, supporting them in making informed decisions about their futures.

This matchmaking app represents Engage 2’s commitment to empowering the next generation of aviation professionals by creating a digital platform that responds to the evolving needs of the aviation industry.

Registration is open for the Winter School in Belgrade

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

Registration for the Engage 2 Winter School in Belgrade is now open! Attendance at this intensive four-day program, scheduled from January 27 to 31 2025, is free of charge. However, due to limited space, applications are encouraged to be submitted as soon as possible. The deadline to apply is November 20th, 2024. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance/rejection by the end of November.

Hosted by the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering in Belgrade, the program will be led by a renowned faculty of experts, including industry leaders from EUROCONTROL and prominent academics from the University of Westminster and, of course, the University of Belgrade.

Register NOW

This intensive four-day program is designed for postgraduate students, experienced researchers and industry professionals in the ATM sector. The Engage 2 WinterSchool offers a unique opportunity to:

  1. Gain in-depth knowledge of key ATM concepts and challenges
  2. Explore advanced research methodologies through interactive tutorials
  3. Learn from prominent industry leaders and researchers
  4. Network with peers and build valuable connections within the ATM community

Engage KTN past editions
Do you want to know what it means to attend an Engage 2 Winter and Summer School? Let’s take a look at the past editions of the Engage KTN Summer School: you can find all the information about the three past editions of the Summer School, including topics, speakers, and much more to pique your interest.

Save the date for the first Hackathon in Madrid, 24-25 March 2025

Written by Serena Fabbrini on .

Mark your calendars for an event you won’t want to miss! Engage 2 announces its inaugural hackathon, set to take place on the 24th and 25th of March 2025 in Madrid.

This event will bring together new talents to the aviation industry for two days of intense collaboration and creativity. Participants will have the opportunity to tackle the industry’s digitalization challenge, featuring a 24-hour coding session to tackle proposed ATM-related challenges.

Whether you’re a seasoned developer, a budding entrepreneur, or simply passionate about technology, the Engage 2 Hackathon promises to be an unforgettable experience. Stay tuned for more details and registration information coming soon.

We look forward to seeing you in Madrid!